A3 Report Template
A3 Template for the Lean A3 Problem Solving Method
Much more than just a tool, A3 Problem Solving is a simple method to
systematically:
- Define and solve problems
- Teach managers how to better coach, mentor, and lead
- Instill a way of thinking that causes entire teams of people to sharply focus their minds on the foundational Lean ways of seeing process flows and wastes - constantly redirecting their attention back to the foundational Lean teachings:
The Seven Deadly Types of Waste
The Lean 4 Rules In Use
(which are really brought home when you use
the A3 Interview
template)
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Download free trials - including this A3 Report template |
A3 Report
The A3 Report
is a simple
storyboard that tells the whole story of an improvement event on one 11x17
sheet of paper.
The left side defines the problem - the right side proposes solutions.
A good A3 should tell a story - bringing a problem to life and pointing the way to a better future.
Use ANY printer to create A3 reportsThe Systems2win
A3 report template
The standard template starts with two 8 1/2 x 11 pages (or international size A4)
If all you have is a small printer...
If you select a printer that can print on 11x17 or A3 paper... File > Page Setup
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Word is the ideal tool to construct your A3 storyboardWe decided to use Word, (rather than Excel) for this template because Microsoft Word provides unmatched flexibility to allow wildly diverse formats - and anyone that has ever seen more than a dozen A3 Reports knows that it is rare for any two to look alike.
Because all of your
Systems2win process improvement tools are
written in Word and Excel -
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Common tools used for illustrating A3 Reports include...
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Anything you can |
The A3 Storyboard format can be VERY flexible
There is no one single correct template for an A3. It is the spirit of dialog, not the piece of paper, that is important.
As long as you're using the A3 Problem Solving Approach, and you are able to keep your deliverable on one piece of paper, then you have great flexibility to format your storyboard in any way that most effectively "tells your entire story" - from problem through proposed solution.
Your goal is not to "quickly fill in the blanks of an A3 Report".
Your goal is to harness all of the benefits of the A3 problem solving method...
Benefits of the A3 problem solving method
- Provide a single, easy-to-use approach for problem solving - that can
be applied to ANY type of problem
(when everyone knows what someone means when they say "Let's do an A3", it frees people up to focus on the roots of problems - without needing to reinvent new ways of working together) - Encourage people to identify problems, and bring them to attention
(in contrast to hiding problems, or pretending that there aren't any) - Stimulate group dialog and creative problem-solving - building consensus based on
objective, indisputable observed facts
(in contrast to one person trying to "sell" their half-baked ideas and subjective opinions) - Break people of the bad habit of jumping to solution decisions before even
defining the root causes
(and the bad habit of being the heroic fire fighter, instead of preventing fires in the first place) - Empower the people closest to the work to share responsibility for
improving their work
(in contrast with top-down command and control that discourages workers from thinking and caring) - Encourage managers to manage the means of
production by truly understanding the dirty details
(in contrast to the just-show-me-results Management By Objective approach so popular with so many MBA schools) - Instill an organizational culture of "learning
to learn"
(not just doing what you're told - but instilling more effective ways of thinking, working, and learning together) - Groom new leaders in a scientifically repeatable way
(that actually demonstrate how to lead - and how to mentor their own people to also become new leaders) - Provide a systematic logical thinking process - teaching people to see, understand and synthesize cause and effect relationships - in visual, succinct ways that anyone can understand at a glance
The A3 Problem Solving Method (how to do it)
Download
the printable A3 Standard Operating Procedure
as part of your free trials
Licensed customers are able to edit this Word
template to document and publish their own A3 Problem Solving Method -
(so licensed customers should download from your portal the PDF that might have been edited to reflect your company's own policies - which might be slightly different from the original template as delivered from Systems2win)
Suggested Readings for A3 Problem Solving
To learn more about A3 management, and see many examples of A3 reports, we suggest the following books & resources:
- Lean Definitions - by Systems2win
| "The art of progress consists in maintaining order within our processes of change, and change within our processes of order." Dr. Alfred North Whitehead |
And for alternative or supplemental approaches to problem-solving, we suggest the following resources:
Three Types of A3 Storyboards Although the Problem Solving A3 Report is by far the most popular, there are 2 other common variations:
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The PowerPoint alternative
to a Status A3 Report
As an alternative (or suplement) to a Status A3 Report, many Kaizen Events and projects will be summarized with a PowerPoint Presentation of Results - which has the following advantages when compared to an A3 Status Report:
- Less time to create
If you have ever created your own A3 Reports, you know how much time you spend trying to move things around and rephrase things to just barely fit everything on that one page - and its even more time-consuming when you hand write your A3's. Kaizen Events simply don't have that kind of spare time. - It reveals the story by revealing and building upon one concept at a time -
which is how human brains process information
(unpeeling the onion in layers is especially desirable in a live presentation, and increases the percent of information assimilated even when published in HTML format for on-demand viewing) - It looks more professional
Just look at a typical hand-written A3 Report alongside a typical short PowerPoint presentation - It can be scaled to any size including:
a) one-page thumbnail summary
b) one page per slide - perhaps then printed an posted on bulletin board
(posting large printed results on a bulletin board in a high-traffic hallway is a great way to publicize Lean success stories) - It is more flexible to effectively "tell the
story"
More flexible in both length and format
Typical Headings for a PowerPoint Presentation of Results
- Problem or Issue
Why is Change Needed?
Scope of team charter - including clear definition of where the target process begins and ends - Current Conditions
A graphic illustration using one or two tools for continuous improvement to depict the As Is or As Was state
- Root Cause Analysis
Either using a root cause analysis fishbone diagram, or simple indented text for each layer of "why?" - Objectives, Measures, and Targets
And any Boundaries that differ from the pre-published Boundaries for any Continuous Improvement Event - Tools & Methods Used
A summary of improvement tools and methods used - Improvements Implemented
Perhaps starting with a limited test, but the goal of a Kaizen Event is to actually implement the changes before the end of the 1 to 5 day Kaizen Event - including user training - After Condition
Using the same one or two graphic Lean tools to depict the After or Desired state - Implementation Plan
Perhaps a Value Stream Plan or 30-Day Action List for any improvements not already completed
Potential obstacles to sustainability – and plans for how to address them - Issues & Ideas
Issues & Ideas that came up that were not addressed as part of this improvement event, but should be addressed in the future - Team Members
Recognition is one of the most important rewards - Success Measures
Results Metrics
Objectives, Measures, and Targets - with starting, expected, and actual results
Actual results are added with each follow-up audit - and audits continue every 30 days until targets are achieved and sustained
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